Q and A with Sherry originally from North Bay, Ontario, living in Epsom, Surrey
“Grit, determination, willingness to learn, perseverance, having a positive attitude, being someone nice to work with, and consistent action are what will set you apart from the masses.”
Q: What are you passionate about?
A: From a young age, I’ve been driven by a passion for people and travel. I started working at the age of 15, cleaning cottages, which sparked my desire for customer-facing roles. I was outgoing and a good communicator, and at the age of 16, I walked into a convenience store one day, asked for the manager, extended my hand, and introduced myself. I think he was so caught off guard, and he gave me the job right then and there after a 20-minute conversation. This journey led me from working in a convenience store in my hometown of North Bay, Ontario, to administrative positions, and eventually to the bustling HR scene in London, U.K. My experience ranges from recruitment in financial services to managing HR for start-ups, where I thrived in creating dynamic, efficient work environments.
When I moved into an administrative role for a computer store, I worked with a fabulous financial controller who took me under her wing. She was responsible for all finances and people stuff, and it was there that I realized I wanted to move into some type of HR Role.
After a few years working for the computer store, I decided to move to the city of Toronto, Ontario, to seek better opportunities. I met with some recruitment agencies and eventually was placed in a recruitment role with a leading financial services recruitment firm. It wasn’t exactly HR, but it was a step in the right direction.
During the three years of working for the recruitment agency, I found some success, received some awards, and was transferred to their office in Vancouver, British Columbia, where I met candidates passing through while travelling. There were a lot of Australians and New Zealanders who would come to Vancouver looking for temp work and I was responsible for interviewing them. Hearing their stories of travelling the world, spending time in Europe, etc., inspired me, and so, I started to look at how I could do the same.
I moved to London, U.K., in 2004 on a working holiday visa to stay only two years. I knew wholeheartedly that I wanted to work in HR to gain more experience while I was traveling on weekends and holiday breaks because the holiday entitlement in the U.K. is so good compared to Canada. I was placed in some contracts with some big financial institutions and gained some exceptional training along the way. I held a number of different contracts, mostly in the financial services space, however I just felt I hadn’t truly found my niche. However, I was honing my HR skills along the way and started to work for SME companies. That is where I began to find my passion for start-ups.
I loved the buzz of the start-up environment, with having a blank slate to set up operations, policies, processes, and technology. I also love the employee experience element and helping people find their passions, hone their talents, and stay motivated. Start-up life is not for the faint-hearted, but it kept me energized and I worked with some top talent along the way.
Following the last five years of contributing to building a fintech start-up with an exceptional group of people, I decided that my family priorities needed to shift. With my daughter growing up, and me working 15 hours a day, I was missing out on some crucial moments of her life. So, I decided to take some time out to spend time with my family, plan a trip to Thailand, which we just completed, and figure out my next move.
As fate would have it, I met a woman (Lisa Smith) who introduced me to the travel business while I was planning our trip to Thailand. She discussed the business opportunity with me and showed me how I could make commissions on selling travel and earning a residual income through multiple streams over time too. So, I took the opportunity head-on as it was something I was excited and passionate about. The start-up costs are low and the group of people I’m in business with are the most supportive and creative individuals I have met. Plus, it allows me to be here for my family, work from anywhere, and I’m building something on my own terms that I’m passionate about.
Now, I can combine my love for exploration with entrepreneurship, running a travel business that also helps others achieve work-life balance and financial independence.
Q: What were your younger years like?
A: I grew up in Canada and lived there until the age of 27 before moving to the U.K. My mother was 15 years old when she had me with my biological father, who was 17 at the time. My mum met my stepdad (whom I call dad), who raised me when I was four years old, and he worked in the airline industry as a buyer of plane parts. We moved to Calgary, Alberta, when I was six and then moved back east to North Bay, in Northern Ontario, when I was 10. I spent my teens there until I moved to Toronto and then Vancouver before I came to London, U.K., in 2004.
I was an average student in school, always had to work hard to get good grades and I did okay. I moved out of my parent’s house at the young age of 16 and worked full-time while completing secondary school. I didn’t see a way to support myself through university, nor did I know what I wanted to study, and I was motivated to work to support myself. My mum and dad were always hard workers as they were young and trying to survive while supporting our little family. I would say I get my work ethic from my dad as he worked in a professional environment and would sometimes bring me into the office, which sparked my professional curiosity. I recall sitting at an old-style typewriter, entertaining myself by pretending I worked there and typing gibberish.
My upbringing was a little chaotic having young parents, but they did the best they could. There was little direction from them in terms of life skills and schooling, and I was left to make my own choices. I was influenced by my maternal grandmother too, who was a big part of my life and helped raise me those first six years in particular. She is turning 102 in July, and I would say she passed down her tenacious and feisty spirit to survive in life. During my school years, I excelled in sports and music, but as I didn’t have a lot of family support or encouragement to guide me, I didn’t progress further than just school competitions. I would say my overall upbringing was nontraditional and all about survival and learning as I go, and the paths taken in my journey have always been a little off the beaten track. It has given me the ability to look at life practically, tackle obstacles head-on, and always keep my eyes open to new opportunities.
My dad was big into camping and fishing, so I learned from an early age basic survival skills in the great outdoors, and to this day, the outdoors is my grounding place when I’m feeling stressed or overwhelmed. I’m an adventurer at heart, and I love to see the world through fresh eyes and experiences, which is why I think the travel business suits me so well.
Every element of my upbringing prepared me for a life of adaptability and perseverance.
Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?
A: Surround yourself with experienced, positive, and motivated people who can help guide you and keep being curious, asking questions, and absorbing all the information you can. Growing and learning isn’t just about going to the most elite university. Skills can be taught on the job, but a good attitude and willingness to learn are deep within you. Grit, determination, willingness to learn, perseverance, having a positive attitude, being someone nice to work with, and consistent action are what will set you apart from the masses. Don’t underestimate yourself or let others do that either. Just because you have taken a different path to the masses, doesn’t make you any less valuable.
Q: What does feminism mean to you?
A: Feminism is the pursuit of equality and justice, ensuring everyone has equal opportunities to thrive. It challenges the structures that limit us based on gender and advocates for the rights and recognition of all marginalized groups. For me, feminism is also about personal autonomy and respecting diverse life choices–it’s a call to actively dismantle barriers and promote inclusiveness in every facet of life.
MORE ABOUT SHERRY:
I run an independent travel business and coach working professionals who are burnt out and looking for a career shift towards more work-life balance, flexibility, and independence, and who want to travel themselves.
I give people a chance to run their own businesses and profit from the travel industry by earning commissions on all travel arrangements and events they organize! This includes bookings made for themselves, loved ones, or clients.
My business is proudly affiliated with InteleTravel, which is a reputable business that has been thriving for over 30 years and stands as one of the UK’s top independent travel agencies! Some of the benefits of working with this business are:
✅ Working remotely from anywhere on any device, mobile phone📲 iPad, or laptop 💻
✅ Being your own boss and determining your own hours
✅ No targets or deadlines & No prior experience needed
✅ Full training & continuous support provided
✅ Accredited by ABTA 🌎CLIA approved🚢 ATOL approved & protected ✈️
✅ Low cost 💷 to start up
If you’re curious about what it takes to be your own boss in an exciting and growing travel industry and would like more information👇, Visit our social media sites and website and get in contact.
*This business opportunity offers unlimited earning potential with the best compensation structure around. A minimal initial fee is required for training and access to our travel platform and partners.
Connect with Sherry:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/st.travel.club.2024
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/st_travel_club/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sttravelclub?lang=en
Website: www.st-travel.club
Thanks for reading!
The Woman Wednesday Blog 